Automatic reel for garden hose



P 1951 H. w. ALLEN 2,566,867

AUTOMATIC REEL FOR GARDEN HOSE Filed July 18, 1946 INVENTOR. fla/Aeas W Awe/7 AT/"ORNE Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,566,867 AUTOMATIC REEL FOR GARDEN HOSE Holless W. Allen, North Kansas City, Mo. Application July 18, 1946, Serial No. 684,567

1 Claim. (01. 242-86) Thisinventionrelates to structure for conveniently supporting a flexible conduit such as rubber hose and has for its primary object the provision of means for winding the hose upon a novelly formed drum that is specially supported so that the entire assembly may be revolved about a vertical axis as the hose is wound or unwound from said drum. I

One of the primary aims of this invention is to provide a hose reel structure having as a part thereof, connection to a source of water supply so that the hose may always be maintained in connection therewith, yet may be moved to and from an operative position without disconnecting or manipulating any of the customary fixtures usually associated therewith.

A further aim of this invention is to provide means for supporting garden hose or the like, which means includes unique structure for connecting the hose to a source of fluid supply and having a reel mounted for rotation on a tubular member which serves both as a passageway for the fluid and as a means for automatically permitting swinging movement of the reel as the same is being rotated.

Other objects of this invention include the provision of hose reel structure that is exceptionally simple to construct, inexpensive to purchase and maintain in operative condition, strong and durable, not likely to get out of order and capable of being effectively positioned in any location convenient for use.

Other objects will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a hose reel structure made to embody the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, detailed view taken on line III-III of Fig. l and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed view taken on line IVIV of Fig. 2 with parts broken away to shown the construction of connection between the arcuate tube and axle of the drum.

The drum for winding and supporting the hose I is broadly designated by the numeral l2 and has an axle l4 upon which the framework thereof is rotatably mounted. This axle 14 comprises one leg of a substantially U-shaped tubular member having a bight l6 and another leg Hi.

In addition to the axle I4, the drum per se includes a pair of spaced-apart frames, each having a number of V-shaped sections 20. Bights 22 of each section 20 are looped around the axle M in side-by-side relationship as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The legs of each secction 20 extend radially from the axle l4 to present spokes for a. wheel-like structure, having a rim 24 fixedto the free ends of said legs of sections 20.

A cross-bar 26 interconnects the corresponding sections 20 of each frame by beingfixed to each leg thereof respectively and it is upon these cross-bars that hose III is wound when the drum [2 is rotated about its axle L.

The supporting means for the drum l2 consists of a tubular standard 28 within which a rod 30 is telescoped for free pivotal movement. It is contemplated that the standard 28 be held in an upright position by driving the same in the ground in any location desired. However, any means of support for standard 28 such as a platform or the like could be constructed without effecting the operation of this invention as disclosed in the drawing.

The rod 30 is flared outwardly as at 32 to present a shoulder for resting on the upper end of standard 23 as the rod 30 is rotated. The tubular leg I8 is Welded or otherwise fixed to the rod 30 at a point substantially on a plane through the longitudinal axis of the drum I2. The bight l6 of the U-shaped member of which legs l4 and I8 are a part extends outwardly and upwardly from its point of connection with the leg l8 and has a length suflicient to present a clearance between the rims 24 and the leg l8 as the drum I2 is 1'0- tated.

A conduit 34 is in communication with a source of fluid supply (not shown) and is attached to the free end of the leg l8 by means of the conventional fixture 36 obtainable on the open market.

The axle [4 extends outwardly beyond the frame having sections 20 as a part thereof remote from the bight portion l6 and an arcuate tube 38 is inserted therein.

The means of fastening the tube 38 to axle I4 is illustrated in Fig. 4. The bore through the axle I4 is enlarged near its open end to present a shoulder 40 against which one end of the tube 38 abuts. A second shoulder 42 nearer the open end of axle I4 is engaged by a gasket 44 circumscribing the tube 38. A metal ring 46 presses against the gasket 44 as a nut 48 in screw-threaded engagement with the axle l 4 is manipulated. Thus, the tube 38 is free to turn within the axle l4 and no leakage of fluid will exist at this point of connection.

This tube 38 terminates at a point between one of the cross-bars 26 and the axle l4 and is conreel structure will revolve within standard 28.

through the medium of rod 30. Passage of fluid from conduit 34 is through leg I8, bight l6, axle nection of fixture 36 permits the reel to be moved bodily with hose l0 wound thereon'to aplace of storage by the simple expedient of withdrawing the rod 30 from standard 28.

It is understood that hose reel structures having physical characteristics other than those shown in the accompanying drawings and herein described, might be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I l0 l4, tube 38 and thence to the hose i0. Discon-- n I s joined to the ring; said ring and said rods being in a common plane; and a cross-bar interconq meeting each leg respectively of one member with a corresponding leg of the othermember intermediate the ends of the legs, the distance between each bar and the rings being the same, said rods being arranged to hold the rings concentric with respect to the shaft.

HOLLESS w. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 446,745 Schenck Feb. 17, 1891 561,229 Kern et al June,2,.1896

-'?T:'.- 622,067 7 Patterspn; Mar. 28,1829. 1,14 ,757 Erenier n July 13,1915; 7 1 2 j m q r- 1 1 1,480,770 Leber Jan. 15, 1924 1,726,084l Montgomery tAug. 27,1929 1,814,872 Wagner July 14, 1931 1,850,265 German Mar.22, 1932 .1 .,VZ-ZT."','T 'T'.'. -V l FOREIGN PATENTS Number 2 Country Date 413,896 Great Britain July 26, 1934 

